So that’s what “shortly” means to David Madden. Months after the Fox head told the Television Critics Association that an “X-Files” renewal could happen “shortly,” the network has finally followed through, announcing a new order of 10 episodes to (likely) air sometime in 2018. The announcement was first made on social media with an official statement following shortly thereafter.
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Here’s the announcement:
#TheXFiles are opening back up… pic.twitter.com/FevbZbXxAe
— The X-Files (@thexfiles) April 20, 2017
And here’s the statement, courtesy of ScreenCrush:
Iconic characters, rich storytelling, bold creators – these are the hallmarks of great TV shows. And they are some of the reasons why The X-Files has had such a profound impact on millions of fans worldwide. Chris’ creativity, along with the brilliant work of David and Gillian, continue to propel this pop culture phenomenon, and we can’t wait to see what fresh mysteries Mulder and Scully uncover in this next chapter of The X-Files.
With fans turning out in force for the Season 10 revival of the series — according to Variety, more than 20 million people watched the pilot episode, which eclipses the show’s numbers even during its peak — this renewal seemed fairly inevitable. Reviews of Season 10 have been mixed, but with Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny as enthusiastic as ever about playing these characters, it seems like the right combination of nostalgia and genuine interest on the parts of everyone involved. The truth may or may not actually be out there, but you’ll have to pry these characters out of Anderson and Duchovny’s cold, dead hands. There’s something refreshing about actors who seem to enjoy their characters as much as their audience.